


Unforgettable

by Meatball



Category: Free!
Genre: A thirsty lech, Fluff, Future Fic, Life After High School, M/M, Maybe just a bit of angst, Nagisa might be a murderer, Slow Burn, Sousuke is a lech, Will be Explicit in the future
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2016-01-09
Packaged: 2018-05-11 13:28:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5628250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meatball/pseuds/Meatball
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Friends and family gather in Tokyo for Gou and Seijuurou's wedding. In the week leading up to the big day, old memories surface and maybe, the past isn't such a closed book after all. </p><p> </p><p>Chapter update: Sousuke is driven out of his home. Makoto to the rescue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Begin the Beguine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a successful turn at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Rin and Haru come home for Sei and Gou's wedding. They fly back in one week before the celebration and meet Sousuke for dinner.
> 
>  
> 
> “How about you guys? Make it in alright?” Sousuke asks the couple as he reaches for the menu. Rin nods and commiserates with Haru on the drink selection.
> 
> “Still a little tired,” Rin says in between pointing out wine choices to Haru. “Helping Gou out with this wedding might be a bit difficult.”
> 
> Haru and Sousuke look from their menus and turn to Rin, then to each other, sharing knowing looks.
> 
> “Don’t let her hear you,” Sousuke warns him. Haru holds back a snicker as Rin looks up at Sousuke. “Don't look at me like that. Gou’s _easy._ You just better suck it up, buddy, considering how much of a bridezilla _you_ were.” Rin opens his mouth to protest but is sufficiently cowed by Sousuke’s raised eyebrow.

### August 23, 2024

“Did you find the place okay?” Rin asks, red eyes gleaming, as Sousuke approaches the table. This earns him _a look_ from his best friend. One that somehow manages to convey, “Hey, thanks for looking out, buddy” and “I’m gonna fucking kill you if you ask me that _one more time_.” Rin does know better. The redhead is just asking out of years of habit. And perhaps a bit of ribbing. A lot bit of ribbing. Nothing too far out of the ordinary. Sousuke knows this too, so his posture stays relaxed. This, of course, doesn’t mean Rin won’t get a fair share of shit from him.

“Jesus, I’ve been looking for _hours,_ ” he moans, slumping into the seat across from Rin in mock exasperation. He looks over at the dark-haired man sitting next to Rin. “I really hate you for taking my navigator away, _Nanase_.” His lips are downturned into an exaggerated frown but his blue-green eyes are all smiles.

Haruka is expressionless as he looks over at Sousuke, deep blue eyes glinting. “They have these things now, Yamazaki. GPS. On your phone. On your fancy watch.” he glances at Sousuke’s wrist. “On those eye gizmos. _Technology,_ Sousuke.” He blinks. “ _Embrace it. You can’t fight it._ ”

Sousuke snorts as he lets his composure break. Haru the Luddite, extolling the virtues of new technology. That’ll be the day. “You’re almost believable, Haru.”

“Thank you,” Haru nods solemnly. “I’ve been working on it.” Rin smirks and shakes his head.

“How about you guys? Make it in alright?” Sousuke asks the couple as he reaches for the menu. Rin nods and commiserates with Haru on the drink selection.

“Still a little tired,” Rin says in between pointing out wine choices to Haru. “Helping Gou out with this wedding might be a bit difficult.”

Haru and Sousuke look from their menus and turn to Rin, then to each other, sharing knowing looks.

“Don’t let her hear you,” Sousuke warns him. Haru holds back a snicker as Rin looks up at Sousuke. “Don't look at me like that. Gou’s _easy._ You just better suck it up, buddy, considering how much of a bridezilla _you_ were.” Rin opens his mouth to protest but is sufficiently cowed by Sousuke’s raised eyebrow. He pouts back at the menu.

Sousuke figures out his own order quickly, putting the menu down, and takes quick stock of the place. Their table is in a private corner of the restaurant, relatively safe from prying eyes that may recognize the recently-returned Olympians. It’s a Friday night in Shibuya, and so Tharros is predictably busy, but either most folks haven’t noticed them or are polite enough to give the threesome their space. A miracle, given the relative popularity of the athletes sitting in front of him, to say nothing of Yamazaki’s own reputation. Sousuke makes a mental note to add this to his list of go-to places.

“You guys just spent a month in Rome. I’m surprised you wanted to get Italian tonight when you’re just getting back.”

“Haru found a new mackerel dish and this place apparently has it. Can you believe that?” Rin teases. Haru shoots him a sideways glance as if in warning, but the look held no true bad feelings.

Haru picks up his glass of water and drinks. “I’m a man of simple pleasures, _Rinrin_ ,” Haru responds dramatically. Rin’s eyes narrow at the use of the not-always-welcome nickname. The corners of Sousuke’s mouth pull up, just a little. “Mackerel is one of the few things I need. Water is another.” he pauses, still looking at Rin.

“What, no Rin?” the redhead asks in mock indignance.  
  
“Maybe,” Haru sighs and shrugs, letting the word hang for second. “You require quite a bit of maintenance, though, so I dunno...” Rin punches his thigh and Haru turns to Sousuke, who’s trying to suppress a grin. “Violent, to boot.” Haru leans across the table. “You want him back?” he whispers loudly.

Sousuke leans back in his chair, eyes wide, hands up in denial. “Nooooo thanks,” he says emphatically. Haru frowns and Sousuke continues, “Hey, your fault for reminding me why I let you keep him in the first place.”

“I'm sitting right here, you know,” Rin interrupts. The other two pointedly ignore him.

Haru sits back and sighs, defeated. “Can’t blame a guy for trying,” he laments.

“You really can't,” Sousuke agrees, pursing his lips and shaking his head.

“You won’t _believe_ all the shopping he did,” Haru complains. “I think he wanted to move into the Armani store. ”

Haru finally acknowledges Rin with an admonishing look. Rin’s shoulders slouch a little and he blushes with a sudden bashfulness. “But I looked good in it,” he replies in a small voice before his eyes light up with an equally sudden realization. “And you did too!” he continues more confidently, pointing a finger at Haru. “Don’t you dare make it sound like it was all me, _Mister!_ ” he pokes Haru’s shoulder. “We _each_ got a couple of new outfits and _you_ got three new jammers! I can’t even tell them apart!” Rin sits up and crosses his arms, completely vindicated.

“Am I going to have to separate you two?” Sousuke asks, thoroughly amused. “Jeez. Children.”

He’s really missed these idiots.

The waiter comes by and interrupts the not-that-witty repartee to take their orders.

“We did spend so much on shopping, though,” Rin admits when the waiter leaves.

“Yeah, you did,” Haru agrees, face expressionless save for the sparkling eyes. “How were you planning to pay for all of that?”

Rin leans back into his seat and shrugs. “Sell my body, probably,” he replies matter-of-factly.

Sousuke places his elbows on the table and props his chin on folded hands, momentarily adopting a look of contemplation. “Well, it sounds like you’ve got your retirement plans taken care of,” he says, looking across the table at Rin. He shifts his gaze to Haru. “I can take care of pimping him out if you don’t want to have to deal with clients. I get thirty percent though.”

“Hn,” Rin’s husband agrees with a slight nod. “You’ll have your lawyers draw up the contract and everything?” Sousuke nods. “I trust you. Sounds like a plan.”

“Oi, don’t I even get a say in any of this?” Rin protests.

“No,” the other two reply in unison.

Rin crosses his arms and harrumphs into a cartoonish pout while his best friend and his husband laugh and plan his prostitution.

“Seriously, though,” Rin leans forward on the table as they quiet down, his voice a little lower. “We _have_ been thinking of retiring.”

The table is silent for a few seconds.

“So, you’re saying you actually _do_ need me to pimp you? Both of you?” It’s less a question and more of a statement.

The couple across from him nod.

Sousuke replaces his chin on his hands. He purses his lips in thought as he looks at them both. “You guys free for lunch on Monday?” They consult with each other through a quick glance and nod back at Sousuke. “Let’s meet up then. We can figure out the details of expanding your contracts. Figure out your sponsorship options.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Rin replies. “No gay porn though,” he warns Sousuke.

Haru flicks his gaze at Rin. “Makoto will kill both of us before that happens.”

Sousuke smiles through the small agitation in his chest that _surely must_ be indigestion. Yes. _Indigestion._

“Not if we get him to join.”

Sousuke’s ears are suddenly burning. “Yo. I don’t think I need those visuals. What the hell is wrong with you two?” Rin snickers.

“He wouldn’t be into that anyway,” Haru replies, taking a drink of his water as if this was just normal day-to-day talk. He looks at Sousuke as if to ask his opinion on the matter. Sousuke hopes his glare sufficiently says, _How the fuck would_ I _know?_

“Speaking of,” Rin turns, “have you heard from him yet?” He’s asking Haru but Sousuke is curious to hear as well. It’s been a long while since he and Makoto have spoken to each other.

Haru gulps down another mouthful of water before answering. That he fixes a look on Sousuke when he answers makes him uncomfortable. “He’s coming in with Rei and Nagisa tonight and he said they’ll meet us at the beach tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tharros is a real place in Shibuya!](http://www.tharros.jp/index.html) Their food looks SO good.


	2. The Boys are Back in Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beach party! 
> 
> Sousuke is a lech. He gets what’s coming to him.
> 
>  
> 
> Stories always seem to describe lust at first sight as a sudden, mouth-drying event. This was not the case for Sousuke. He found his mouth watering as if he hadn’t had a thing to eat in days.
> 
> Well, it’s been months, really. Close to a year, in fact, but who’s counting?

### August 24, 2024

Sousuke sits up, bare feet dug into the sand, arms wrapped casually around his bent knees. His eyes look out toward the ocean, gaze sweeping from one end of the horizon to the other. He watches the surfers, Mount Fuji providing them a picturesque background. The waves are rather strong today; great for the surfers. The swimmers, meanwhile, keep their activities closer to the shore.  

He scans the beach, eyes squinting against the sun’s reflection on the sand, catching him even through his dark sunglasses. He takes in the crowd that has been steadily gathering all morning. Even this late in the season, Shonan Beach is still pretty busy. There are quite a few groups of what looks like university students out, some playing volleyball, others just worshipping the sun, while he sees yet others making sand sculptures.

Somewhere behind him, he hears the unmistakable squeal that is Nagisa and the equally excited response that was surely Gou. Sousuke turns briefly, giving Rei a nod and waving at Nagisa, who is probably too engrossed in gossip with Gou to even look at him anyway. He tunes out the ensuing conversation and continues to search the beach — for nothing in particular really. Just anything interesting that catches his eye.

_Well now._

His gaze pauses at a small group of surfers that have just come in from the water. He can’t see details too clearly from this distance but he notes that there are four of them: three men and a woman. All of whom seem to be in good spirits and walking in his direction. What catches his attention is the man at the head of the group, who stands out from the rest.

Sporting only a pair of orange board shorts trimmed in some other color, the man at the forefront stands half a head taller than the next tallest person in the group while the woman is barely level with his chest. He also possesses the broadest shoulders among them, as well as the longest hair, reaching just below his shoulder blades. Its light color, even while wet, stands out against his tanned skin. His cheeks and jaw seem dark. Sousuke can’t tell for sure yet but he guesses that Mystery Man is sporting a fair bit of scruff. Sousuke’s ears suddenly feel warm.

The group is animated as they move further into the beach, talking and laughing as they carry their surfboards up. Sousuke gets a clearer picture of the guy as they get closer and finds his initial assessment to be pretty accurate. Mystery Man’s face and jaw sport a good layer of stubble, hair just a bit darker than those on his head. The warmth he still feels on his ears travels down to his chest, making its way down to the pit of his stomach.

The foursome stops at a large sheet held down by a small pile of bags and equipment, presumably theirs. They’re still a bit too far away for him to understand what they’re talking about, but he definitely has a much — _much_ — better view of the Mystery Surfer.  And it is a good view, indeed.

Sousuke is thankful that his sunglasses are not just dark, but also a bit reflective, as he continues to get an eyeful of the surfer. He figures that they have about the same build. Now that he’s closer, though, he sees that while Mystery Surfer is broad and definitely muscular, he is not at all bulky. Rather, he’s well-toned. _Very_ well-toned. Sousuke’s toes involuntarily curl into the sand. 

He makes a mental note to visit a temple and thank whatever deity put this man in his sphere. _Someone up there must like me._

At their spot, each member of the group stands their board up into the sand and starts digging through their respective bags. Except for Hot Mystery Surfer, who shakes his hair out and, taking an elastic band from his wrist, gathers it into a bun on the back of his head.

Sousuke watches in rapt attention at the flex and movement of back and arm muscles, his lips parting slightly. Stories always seem to describe lust at first sight as a sudden, mouth-drying event. This was not the case for Sousuke. He found his mouth watering as if he hadn’t had a thing to eat in days.

Well, it’s been months, really. Close to a year, in fact, but who’s counting?

“Are you seeing this guy?” he mutters to Rin next to him, eyeballs still diligently ogling the surfer ahead. He catches a tattoo — he's too far away to see what — on Hot Mystery Surfer’s right shoulder blade, before the man turns and it moves from his view. Sousuke swallows as Hot Mystery Surfer bends down to pull out a shirt and a pair of flip-flops from his bag. “Holy shit,” he blurts out at a volume only he and Rin can hear. That ass is beautiful. The things he would do to it. Sousuke smiles to himself. The things he would do to all of him. He swallows again, exhaling a breath he hadn’t realized had been holding.

Rin looks over at his best friend, unmoving and otherwise unreadable. To most anyone else, Sou’s sunglasses are hiding his lecherous people-watching. From Rin’s angle, though, he can pretty well see what his best friend is up to. He can see the mesmerized flash in those blue-green eyes. He follows Sousuke’s line of sight to the Hot Mystery Surfer. A small smirk forms on his own face as he looks from Sousuke to the Hot Mystery Surfer then back to Sousuke, in the middle of a hard swallow. _Hoo boy. Rest in peace, buddy._

Rin hums, acknowledging Sousuke’s interjection while simultaneously pressing his lips together to control the grin and laughter that was threatening to bubble up as he watches. Not that it matters. Sou looks to be in another world now, utterly entranced. He probably wouldn’t even notice. Rin hears voices approaching behind him and he turns to see Haru, Nagisa, and Rei, with Rei pulling out a couple of beach towels out of his bag.

Sousuke remains motionless, eyes still aimed in the same direction. From his seat, Rin can see that his eyes have started to glaze over and he isn’t actually focused on the Hot Mystery Surfer anymore. He assumes (correctly) that Sousuke is caught up in his own little la-la land. Rin chooses to let him be and gets up to greet the two new arrivals, keeping them occupied for even just a little bit so as not to wake Sousuke from his reverie.  

He moves to greet Rei with a hug but is intercepted by Nagisa, who doesn’t so much hug him as the feisty blond attempts to behead him with love.

“N-nagisa,” Rin chokes out. “Please don’t kill me before I give my sister away!” Nagisa eases his hug-chokehold and plants a wet kiss on Rin’s cheek.

“Oh, Rinrin. I’d never kill you!” he exclaims, putting a hand over his mouth in mock horror. He lowers his voice to a loud conspiratorial whisper. “-out in public,” he continues. “I’d be really quiet about it. No one would suspect a thing!”

Rei coughs from behind him. “Might be too late, love. You’ve just told everyone your plans.”

Nagisa turns around, shushing his husband, “ _SHHHHHH, Rei!_ ” he whispers loudly. “It’s called ‘misdirection!’ You’re _ruining everything._ ”

“All according to plan,” Rei deadpans.

Haru smiles and Rin snorts, before finally getting proper greetings from their old friends.

They get back on track, Rin playing his role as host, showing them where to put their bags down, where the cooler of drinks is, then catching up on a bit of news from Kyoto, where the couple had settled after college.

“You guys should really come out!” Nagisa says in the way that he manages to combine cute, commanding, and just a bit petulant all at once. “What about next week after the wedding or something? We can take a few extra days off, right, Rei?”

“Sure,” Rei nods in agreement, “but next week’s probably too soon, love.  I suggest waiting until fall. Besides, it’s been too hot this summer and the humidity is nigh unbearable.”

The blond nods enthusiastically. “Yes! That’s perfect! Sei and Gou will be back from their honeymoon _and—, and—,_ ” he waves his arms in front of him excitedly as an idea comes to him. “We can have a birthday party for Mako-chan in November! _Ohmygodit’sperfect!_ ” His eyes widen and sparkle in excitement. “Thanks, babe!” he cheers and throws his arms around his husband’s neck.

Rei gives him a quick, tight squeeze before prying him off.

“Speaking of,” Nagisa says as he lets go. “He headed out early this morning and said he’d meet us here.” He squints, looking around at the surrounding sites where other mutual friends and acquaintances have set up. “Have you seen him yet?”

“Ah,” Rin replies, “he hasn’t come by yet.”

Nagisa pouts until his eyes settle on the tall, dark-haired man seated a few steps away behind Rin.

“SOU-CHAN!”

Sousuke snaps out of his daydream and starts to turn toward the sound of Nagisa’s voice. Not fast enough to avoid being tackled to the ground.  

“Oof! Nagisa!” Sousuke lets out a strangled laugh, “You’re going to kill someone with those hugs one of these days.” He returns the bear hug before giving the blond a big grin and unceremoniously pushing him off and onto the blanket.

“Sousuke-kun, are you alright?” Rei crouches over them, concern and — terror? — furrowing his brows. “Nagisa!” he breathes in exasperation. “I swear, some days I just don’t know what to do with you!” He extends his hand, which Nagisa takes eagerly, giggling as he gets up and stands back by Rin and Haru.

“I tell you every time, Rei, I’m fine. I can handle Nagisa.” Sousuke reassures him, pushing himself back into his seated position. “But thank you for your concern.” He and Rei exchange smiles.

“I can’t help myself, Sousuke-kun. You’re welcome.”

“Haru-chan,” the two men turn to Nagisa and Haru. “Did Mako-chan tell you when he was getting here? I have presents for him!” He picks up the bag he’d put down earlier, which has now fallen open, revealing what clearly are several boxes of bakery goods.

“Wow, Nagisa,” Sousuke stares at the boxes, horrified. “Are you trying to kill the guy? He’ll die of diabetes on the spot.” He turns to the blond, who only gives him a maniacal grin. Sousuke shifts his gaze to Haru. “You should warn him, Haru.”

“Believe me, Sou. I have,” Haru replies. “Don’t worry. Apparently, it’s mutual.”

“That’s not all for Makoto-kun,” Rei interjects. “We brought a lot of bottled water along as well. Still cold. It’s supposed to be really warm today. And it should help with all the sweets.”

“You know that’s not how diabetes works, right?” Rin reminds him as he accepts the bottle that Rei offers.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it, _Rinrin,_ ” Rei counters, smiling sweetly, as he hands a water to Haru, who greedily accepts.

“You are not allowed to call me that, Ryuuga—,”

 “AH! There he is!” Nagisa squeals. “MAKO-CHAAAAAAAN!” he yells, waving towards the water. Sousuke follows his gaze, while Rin turns to face the direction in which Nagisa is waving. Rin grins as he sees the old, familiar green eyes with the matching warm smile approaching.

Nagisa doesn’t bother waiting for Makoto to close the ten meters left between him and the rest of the group, opting instead to drop the bottled water Rei just handed to him and greet his childhood friend with the most dangerous of welcomes: The Hazuki Nagisa Running Tackle-Hug™.

“Nagisa, I just saw you last night!” Makoto’s laugh carries over to the group. “Why are you acting like it’s been years?”

“Because I always love you Mako-chan!” Nagisa responds sincerely as they walk up. “Plus,” he says in his usual loud whisper. “Don’t tell anyone, but you’re my favorite!”

Makoto chuckles but plays along, “Oh! In that case, I won’t tell _anyone!_ ”

"Won’t tell anyone what?” Rei asks as they approach, smiling at Makoto and winking. “You thirsty? Would you like a water?”

“Oh, nothing! Nothing at all, Rei!” Makoto replies in an exaggerated denial. “And yes, I’d love a water, thanks!”

“Well it has been at least a year for me and Haru,” Rin says, reaching out to Makoto. “I better get a humongous ‘hello.’”

“For you? Of course!” Makoto bypasses the hug and cups Rin’s cheeks in his large hands. He puckers his lips and plants a huge, loud kiss right on Rin’s, prompting a “HEY!” from Haru and whoops and laughter from Nagisa and Seijuuro, Rin’s future brother-in-law, seated a few meters away.

“Don’t worry, Haru-chan,” Makoto grins. “I’ve got one for you, too.”

Haru walks up to his childhood best friend and stands right in front of him, looking very serious. “Not now. Save it for when Rin’s not looking.”

“Oh. Right.” Makoto’s grin softens into his trademark warm, radiant smile. They pull each other into an embrace and say nothing more for several seconds before they disentangle themselves so Haru can comfort his happy but teary-eyed husband.

Sousuke watches Makoto’s arrival in stunned silence. It had been about three years since he’d actually seen Makoto. Four since they’d been in the same place together. Time does go by fast. He didn’t expect—

“Hey, Sousuke,” a soft voice breaks into his thoughts. He looks up from his seat on the blanket, eyes taking in the sight in front of him: the old, familiar green eyes with the matching warm smile on the unfamiliar Hot Mystery Surfer.

“Sousuke-kun,” Rei hands him a bottle of water. “Thirsty?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> D'oh.
> 
> Come find me on [Tumblr.](http://idontevenswim.tumblr.com)


	3. Love Shack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sousuke is driven out of his home. Makoto to the rescue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Previously posted as "I'd Lie" for SouMako Week 2015. Did some rewriting but it remains, for the most part, much like the original.

### March 2016

Makoto’s eyes fly open. It’s still dark out, but the city’s bright mercury lamps provide enough ambient light in his bedroom for him to see. He looks around, eyes squinting at the large, red, glowing numbers across the room. _2:18 AM._ What had woken him up?

The loud knocking on the front door answers his question and he groans at the prospect of getting out from under his comfortable blankets to answer it. He finally rolls out of bed, silently cursing whoever is at his door at this god-awful hour.  He normally wouldn’t be so grumpy but he has an exam in the morning and he wants to get a bit more sleep in before getting in a couple more hours of last-minute cramming.

The sharp rapping on the door calls once again. “Coming,” Makoto mumbles as his bare feet hit the floor. He shuffles past Haru’s room and notices the door slightly ajar. Not home. Must've stayed with Rin.

Five more knocks as he walks through the living room. “Yeah, okay. Alright,” he calls out as he approaches the door. When he gets there, he looks through the peephole and catches a scowling face. “What the-,” he mutters and opens the door.

“Sousuke?” His eyebrows furrow in sleepy confusion, stepping aside to invite the other man in. “What are you doing here so late?”

Sousuke stands in place for a few moments, backpack over his left shoulder, hands shoved in his jacket pockets. Bluish-green eyes study Makoto, as if contemplating the unspoken invitation before stepping inside.

“Haru’s at my place,” he grumbles as he toes off his shoes. He turns to Makoto as the door closes and the lights turn on.

A flash of worry makes Makoto’s heart skip. “Are y-, Is everything okay?”

Sousuke’s eyes widen a bit. He stutters as he immediately tries to explain. “No- yes. Sorry! He’s fine. Everything’s fine. No need to worry.” His expression softens. Makoto notes that he looks tired. _Well, of course he’s tired. It’s two in the morning._

“Ah-,” he stammers a bit. “Sorry, I, uh-.” Sousuke scrunches his face and wipes a hand across his eyes. He releases a weary sigh, tinged ever-so-slightly with exasperation and turns a helpless gaze toward the brunet.

“Rin is-,” Makoto watches Sousuke’s shoulders rise as he takes in a breath and falls as he turns his gaze away and breathes out in resignation.

“-loud.”

* * *

Sousuke watches Makoto’s face as it changes from confused to concerned to — embarrassed? No. Amused. _Huh, his face is_ really _expressive._

“Pfff-,” Makoto sputters, before giggling and then breaking outright into stomach-clutching laughter, snorting and all.  It’s contagious and it isn’t long before Sousuke finds himself in hysterics as well. It lifts some of the exhaustion off of his body.

“Oh my _god,_ Sousuke,” Makoto finally manages to cough out. He’s bent over, propping himself up with one hand on the door jamb while holding his side with another and trying to catch his breath. “I don’t...I don’t think I ever...wanted to know that.”

“Yeah...? Well..., welcome to my misery,” he returns, gasping for air.

When they finally manage to gather themselves together, Makoto leads Sousuke towards the living room.

“Seriously. Be glad you weren’t there to hear it. That was something I really didn’t need to know about my best friend. Or his boyfriend.”

Makoto lets out a soft chuckle and coughs a small apology for laughing. “Well, you’re definitely welcome to crash on the couch. Unless you want to take Haru’s bed.” Makoto presses his lips together in an effort to hold back yet another laugh while he waits for Sousuke.

“Uh, no. No thanks,” Sousuke answers quickly.

A puff of air escapes Makoto’s nose as his lips press together harder. “Okay. Let me grab you some stuff.”

Sousuke places his bag in front of the side table and takes off his jacket, tossing it over the couch’s arm, and grabs a seat as Makoto wanders back to his bedroom. Makoto comes back a minute later with a fleece blanket and a pillow.

“I hope these are good enough. The temperature’s generally pretty comfortable in here but if you need more blanket, you’re free to grab another from my closet. I’ll keep the door open.”

“Yeah,” Sousuke responds, noting that Makoto himself wore only his pajama pants. “I should be alright.”

Makoto smiles warmly as he stifles a yawn. Sousuke sends back a smile of his own.

“Hey, thanks, Makoto. Seriously, I owe you. I’ve got a big exam at 9 and I just—, I was _not_ going to get back to sleep there.” Sousuke shivers at the memory. He wasn’t really disgusted or anything. Truth be told, he found it a bit titillating, but that was even more reason to leave. Finals week has been a bitch. He’d already had a long day, and tomorrow was going to be another one. He just needs to sleep. And he certainly wasn’t going to admit enjoying even a little bit of his role as an unwitting audience to Rin and Haru’s sexcapades.

“Don’t worry about it. I have an exam tomorrow morning too. I need to get back to sleep soon.”

“Ah. Sorry to get you up so late,” Sousuke mutters sheepishly. He looks up and meets Makoto’s green eyes, bright and smiling, even when shadowed by a bit of fatigue.

He refocuses his gaze and takes notice of the other man’s muscular form. _Did he have a growth spurt? Maybe it's the training._ He wonders what training regimen Makoto follows when a pang of envy hits him at the thought that Makoto is on the school's swim team while he himself is in rehab. He quickly pushes it away, scolding himself for the self-pity. But still…

 _Man, he got even more defined since high school. I’m really starting to fall behind. I need to work out._ He rolls his right shoulder unconsciously. The old injury will never fully heal but surgery and physical therapy have restored much of his shoulder’s function. Still, he isn’t quite up to snuff. His thoughts begin to drift but Makoto’s voice pulls him right back to reality.

“It’s alright, Sousuke, really!” Makoto protested. “Just get your rest. If you get up before I do, there’s food in the fridge. Feel free to make yourself some breakfast.”

“Alright, man. Thanks.”

“Good night, Sousuke.”

“Good night.”

Makoto starts back toward his room. As Sousuke turns off the light, he hears Makoto call out.

“I promise to not make any weird noises,” he teases. Sousuke can practically see the laughter in Makoto’s eyes. _Is he sassing me? He’s sassing me._

“Don’t make any promises you can’t keep, Tachibana,” he shoots right back before settling into sleep.

* * *

Sousuke wakes up the next morning to the sound of sizzling and the smell of bacon and eggs. He opens his eyes and is momentarily left disoriented before he remembers that Rin and Haru had driven him out of his own apartment. Blinking the sleep from his eyes but not moving, he turns his gaze over to the kitchen/dining area and to the figure standing at the counter. Makoto is still dressed as he was a few hours before: in his pajama pants and bare feet, with the addition of a dark orange tank top and a blue apron that seems just a tad too small for his large frame.

Sousuke takes a minute or two to observe the brunet unnoticed. Makoto’s back is definitely broader and even more well-defined than it was in high school. He might have even gotten a bit taller, too. _Looks good on him. I wonder how he’s doing on the swim team._ The pang of envy from last night comes back with just a bit more force, probing the weakened defenses of his sleep-addled brain. He can’t compete anymore. Hell, he can’t even compete at the high school level if he wanted to. His swimming these days consists of wading in and doing resistance exercises. It’ll be a while yet before he can be even close to good swimming form again. If ever.

He closes his eyes and releases a slow stream of air through his nose. He can feel the familiar anger bubble up and now isn’t a good time for it. _Besides,_ he reminds himself, _getting pissed off isn’t going to do a whole lot of good anyway. Let’s do what we can, Sou._ He takes another slow breath, swallowing the bitterness, beginning to feel the negative feelings subside.

A shuffle in the kitchen causes his eyes to flutter open once again and he sees Makoto facing him, glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, occupied with placing food on the table with one hand while studying from a notebook in the other. Sousuke watches him set a plate down and pause, brows furrowed in concentration, lips moving slightly as he reads. When he seems satisfied, Makoto turns back to the counter to retrieve more plates, these ones empty, to place on the table.

“Eggs and bacon, sleeping beauty,” Makoto’s voice floats out of the kitchen.

Sousuke stiffens in surprise, as the other man’s face is still looking squarely at the notebook, but also in embarrassment at apparently being caught staring.

“Or,” green eyes glint above the rim of the lenses, catching Sousuke’s gaze, ”you could keep laying there and just watch me cram for my final.” Sousuke catches a twitch on Makoto’s lip, as if he was trying to keep from smiling.

Doing his best to look disinterested, Sousuke rolls onto his back, raises his arms above his head, and groans through a long, languid stretch. He rolls back to his side, facing Makoto, resting his head on a folded arm.

"Or option three,” he proposes, “I could eat here on the couch and watch you cram for a while. The faces you make are entertaining." He fixes his gaze on Makoto, taking up the challenge of this staring contest.

It lasts a only a few seconds before Makoto loses it and his half-smirk morphs into a giggle.

Sousuke grins at the now-red-faced Makoto and hops off the couch, heading towards the kitchen. “When did you get so cheeky, Tachibana?”

Makoto shrugs, the remnants of a blush still on his cheeks, before turning back to the counter to grab the rest of the accoutrements to put on the table. “Not really sure, myself. I’m guessing it’s Rin’s fault.”

The comment earns a thoughtful nod from Sousuke, who runs his fingers through his sleep-disheveled dark brown locks. “Yeah, sounds like it.”

“Gotta keep up. He’s rubbing off on Haru, too. I mean, he was already a smart-ass, but his brand of smart-assedness has been...enhanced somehow? I dunno. It’s different.”

“Well, as long as the crying-at-everything thing isn’t contagious, I don’t see how it’s so bad.” Both of them chuckle. Rin’s propensity to shed a tear or fifty over the smallest stuff is notorious among their circle and will never _not_ be subject to mockery. “Yesterday, he started tearing up because he saw a stray cat grooming a crow near my apartment.”

“Aw, but that’s adorable, Sousuke,” Makoto argues.

“Yeah, but would you cry about it?” Sousuke points out. Makoto bites down on his lip to keep from laughing and shakes his head. “See?” Sousuke grins in approval.

Sousuke’s eyes wander to the food on the kitchen table and he becomes acutely aware of how hungry he is.

“Food looks good, Makoto.” He glances back over and is suddenly self-conscious when he finds Makoto eyes on him. He quickly tries to keep his cool. “I thought you didn’t cook?”

Like Rin's tears, Makoto's ineptitude in the kitchen is legendary. That he didn't summon the fire department this morning comes as a bit of a surprise to Sousuke. Maybe Haru just finally got fed up with it.

Sousuke observes the blush return to Makoto’s face. _Man,_ _he blushes like Rin cries,_ he smiles to himself as Makoto puts his notebook to his face and peers at him from behind it.

“Uh, not really, but I manage. Necessity and all that. Haru normally cooks when he’s around but he’s gone so much I had to learn. Going out gets expensive so he taught me.”

Sousuke raises an eyebrow but says nothing.

Makoto’s eyes widen and he starts waving his notebook in front of him as some form of defense. “Oh! But this is easy stuff! Simple! Not dangerous at _all!_ ” He whimpers, “Promise I’m not trying to kill you!"

The raised eyebrow goes up another couple of millimeters, Sousuke trying _really_ hard to non-verbally express his doubts with a straight face but how does one even fight against a blushing Makoto Tachibana? He breaks out into laughter instead.

"I'm teasing, Makoto. These look-," he pauses and bends down to take a couple of exaggerated sniffs at the plate of food. "-and smell just fine."

Makoto sighs, collecting himself and throwing Sousuke a frown of mock disapproval before smiling and inviting him to sit down.

"You meanie," he says, taking off his glasses and putting on an unassuming smile, "You laugh, but I bet you didn't know I bake like the devil himself."

"Oh?"

"Mm-hmm," Makoto nods as he serves Sousuke some eggs. "And I make a _killer_ chocolate cheesecake."

 

* * *

 

Sousuke leans back and lets his head rest on the back of his couch, stretching strained neck muscles. He glances at the laptop sitting on the coffee table. One last paper and he’s free. Done with his first year of college.

He checks his phone. _8:12 PM._ He contemplates catching some sleep now before Rin and Haru come back and start their demon-summoning ritual. He snickers at his own lame joke when the phone buzzes in his hand.

**Makoto**

_I’m on my way over. Please tell me your couch is free._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's where I live on [Tumblr.](http://idontevenswim.tumblr.com)


End file.
